Photovoltaic devices, sometimes referred to as solar cells, can be added to the rooftop of building structures. Solar cells convert light energy from the sun into electricity that may be used or stored for later use. Many industrial buildings have large, elevated, flat-topped roofs that may be desirable for solar cell placement.
Installation of photovoltaic systems has typically involved coupling the devices to a roof with mechanical fasteners such as bolts or screws. While this is an effective means to secure the devices, the roof can be permanently damaged or altered by the required mechanical fastener or drilling during installation. These holes may leak and may be the source of other eventual failures such as tearing or cracking. Further, the use of mechanical fasteners, like screws or bolts, can be time consuming and require precise measurement and drilling of fastener holes. Also, mechanical fasteners are relatively permanent, and the photovoltaic devices may not be easily moved or removed without leaving damaged roof sections.
Other means of attaching solar cells to a roof surface have been proposed. For example chemical adhesives or hook and loop fasteners can be employed. Hook and loop fasteners have been used to secure solar panels on a roof deck by applying the hook and loop fastener directly to a roof membrane. While this approach may not necessarily compromise the integrity of the roof membrane, it is still time consuming to install, not adequately integrated into the roof system, and requires multiple steps during roof installation. Thus they may be expensive to install and susceptible to failure.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for means to secure photovoltaic devices to rooftops that does not compromise the water resistant properties thereof and that are integrated into the roofing system.